2. "Bastille Day." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Mar.
2015.
Revolutionaries storming the
Bastille
3. July 15, 1789
I remember when France was a thriving society, where there was no war, no poverty and everyone
obeyed the laws. But now our motherland has changed. Peasants from the 3rd estate think that just
because they have high taxes they have the right to storm a prison? These ungrateful workers, I
give them decent pay and they claim it is not enough! What is now known as the Storming Of The
Bastille was a frightening day. Thousands of peasants from the 3rd estate charged into the
Bastille and started to behead guards and kill everything in their path. The peasants only had one
aim, and that was to obtain guns from the prison. These pesky peasants, do not know what they are
starting, I don’t even believe that they can grasp the magnitude of what they are igniting. You can
hear them chanting in the streets: Egalite(Equality)! Fraternite(Brotherhood)!Liberte(Liberty)! What a
joke, they are dears picking a fight with a lion.
You could feel the uneasiness ever since the taxes were raised on the peasants. They started to riot
in the streets of Paris. In the countryside, peasants were becoming very agitated. As this started to
happen food production started to slow down, soon famine struck. The citizens of the 3rd estate
started to crave bread, they also argued that the laws only ensured nobles favoritism however that
was not true the laws have always been just. The riots started to continue and bakery raids became
more frequent. France, a once magnificent country was starting see a crash in its economy. Quite
recently only 1 short month ago on June 20th, 1789 577 members of the 3rd estate were locked out
of the Estates General a meeting only between the 2nd and 1st estate. The peasants wanted
to present a constitution to the 1st and 2nd estate concerning all these problems that they were
facing. It was mostly about how the laws only favored the 1st and 2nd estate. These irritating
peasants complained and complained its no wonder they got locked out. Have they no common
sense? Its a meeting specifically for the 1st and 2nd estate. Clearly they are just ignorant people.
After these troublesome peasants got locked out of the meeting, they must have gotten really mad
and wanted to feel as if they have power. Just yesterday they stormed a prison! On July 14th, 1789
what seemed like thousands of members of the 3rd estate stormed the Bastille. The Bastille was a
magnificent structure. One night my pregnant wife and I hired a carriage to go to my good friend
Henri’s birthday dinner. However usually we would take our own carriage but our coachmen refused
to come, I believe he took part in the storming. Henri lived close to the Bastille. I often made
comments about his homes location, but he would always say that he was far enough. After the
party was over our hired carriage had left us. We were very mad, it was extremely inconvenient. We
decided to walk around and see if we could find another carriage. We were walking closer to the
Bastille without actually knowing it. Suddenly when we were walking through an alley way
dangerously close to the prison I heard gunshots and cannons firing.
My wife and I were stunned, at that time we did not know
what was happening. Suddenly down an alley way I saw a
group of peasants charging at us. I thought they were
going rob us, but they ran right past us. It turns out they
were running away from guards that were close on their
heels. One of the prison guards aimed to take a shot I
grabbed Louise and we both ducked behind a bunch of
boxes hoping to get out of his line of vision. The guard took
a shot at the youngest and slowest of the pack that had fell
behind. The bullet pierced his back, he collapsed. In my
mind all I was thinking was run, run as fast as I can with
Louise. But then the boy... he was hurt and clearly in pain,
I could not bear to imagine what the guards would to do to
him if they caught him. But I couldn't I had to save myself,
my love and my child. I turned tail and ran. We quickly ran
out of our cover then ran towards the corner. I was running
as fast as I could, just before we were about to turn the
corner, I looked back and saw the guards brutally kick him
in the stomach until the body was lifeless, until the color
drained out of his eyes. They then dragged him away. We
walked as fast as we could away from the Bastille.
Eventually we hit another main road, where we hired a
carriage. That night was a horrible, traumatizing
experience. Just earlier today the news of the storming had
already spread through the entire city of Paris! The news
that I heard was that the peasants stormed the prison with
torches, pitchforks and pikes. Once they got into the prison
they acquired guns.I assume that was their aim all along.
They are calling themselves the Vainqueurs de la
Bastille(winners of the Bastille). This really scares me as
now the revolutionaries have the vision as well as the
firepower. The Bastille was not only a brilliant complex, it
was also made with the thought that it would symbolize
authority. Now that it has been raided, I have no idea what
King Louis XVI will do. In my mind, I can at least foresee
that France is about to take a change for the worst.
Antoine
4. The execution of
King Louis XVI
"Execution of Louis XVI." Wikipedia. Wikimedia
Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
5. January 24, 1793
King Louis XVI is dead. The end of the French monarchy! He was publicly executed just 3 days ago on
January 21 1793. People from the third estate think he was a terrible king, I thought he was a strong,
powerful, fearless leader. But it turns out he is a coward. I do not want a ruler that is not strong that cannot
stand his ground. Maybe the peasants are right, maybe a revolution is needed for France to change for the
better. France’s future is most definitely uncertain. Our motherland’s power is slowly deteriorating. I want
France to change for the better, more then anything else. I also want my boy to be raised in a somewhat
stable society. But with whats been happening I highly doubt that anyone is going to be safe right now.
Why can’t these peasants just stay in there place? They are worthless people, they are lucky that I even
employ them. Men had stormed the Bastille and now shortly after the women marched straight to King
Louis XVl palace in Versailles. On their way they started to behead guards and stick their heads on pikes.
They say say that they just wanted bread, they also wanted to King Louis XVI to come back to Paris with
them. I was hoping that King Louis would stand his ground but he was a complete wimp and came back to
Paris with them in fear. The march to versailles happened on 5th october 1789 only a few short months
after the storming of the Bastille. Besides the peasants causing trouble, we also had to fight a war! On april
20, 1792 France went to war with Austria! This war also led to decline of the French monarchy. I can’t
believe how many noble French troops were lost in that war. Our army suffered multiple defeats in the war,
I was starting to lose hope in our army as well as our king. These events and the effects of these events
paved the way for Maximilian Robespierre to rise in government standings. I rather have a leader like
Robespierre who is decisive and capable to rule rather then someone who is ineffective like King Louis. I
rather raise my child in a country that that is flourishing rather then one that is torn apart.
3 days ago I joined thousands and thousands of other people in Paris to witness the execution. As
everyone watched King Louis emerge from his royal carriage looking prepared to die for the treason he
committed. You could hear people hollering, shouting and overall booing. I could hear phrases and words
like: crétin(moron),roi stupide(stupid king), lâche(coward) being shouted out. I never wanted him to be
executed. I just wanted him to abdicate his throne. Before he was about to be executed he gave one last
weak attempt at regaining his dignity, by trying to make a somewhat pathetic speech. I could not even hear
it. All I heard was shouting and booing. As he laid down on the guillotine, I felt a rush of emotions. I
wanted a better King for our land but, what if there is no better leader? What is going to happen next? I
watched as they released the blade, as his head was sliced off. It reminded me of whenever I cut butter,
the knife seamlessly hits the butter then continues on throughout without any hesitation. King Louis XVI
is now dead. I’m wondering if I should support the peasants. Just 4 years earlier I was disgusted by how
these peasants wanted to make a change and what they did to try and make a change. However now I see
what they were trying to do and why. France’s king was weak and did not deserve to rule. After King
Louis death life just continues on. Louise, Elliot(son) and I are trying to live our lives to the fullest
considering what is going on around us. Although, I can’t help but shake off the feeling that something bad
is coming, as if a reign of terror is approaching.Antoine
7. November 11th, 1799
Finally! France is flourishing. France, a country that underwent a 10 year revolution has changed for
the better. Our leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, has seized political power, I even heard that he will
soon crown himself emperor of France. Even though some people dislike Napoleon I support him.
He is a successful military general that led France to a lot of foreign victories. He is smart, tactical
and brave. Everything that France needs in a king. I believe he will ensure a strong future for France.
That is all I want, a country in which Elliot (8 year old son) can grow up in. In time he can grow up
and call France his home.
A few years ago, I lost all hope for France. The reign of terror had begun and the genocide of the
French people had started. Guillotines were wheeled into town centers and people were brought up
to be executed. During that horrible time more then 40,000 people were killed. I thought we would be
out of harms way as I am a noble but Robespierre was not only ordering the execution of peasants,
he was also targeting and killing government officials and nobles. No one was safe. When Henri got
be headed I just mentally broke down. It was as if there was no law anymore as if anyone could
report anyone and they would get killed. I started to think about fleeing to Switzerland, I just wanted
to protect Louise & Elliot. Thank god Robespierre was finally executed. Alexandre (friend) has
connections within the government and he told me that there was a group of officials that knew that
they were next on Robespierre’s list to be head. These members then devised a plan to get
Robespierre hated by the public then executed. I am grateful for what they did to stop the
mastermind behind the massacre. After he was executed a directory of 5 members was set up. The
directory lasted for 4 years, I believe that time period was known as the Directory Era. The
directory members really did not do anything to help France. They were as useless as a carriage
without a horse. I suppose that was one of the reasons Napoleon came to power so easily. In
contrast he is far greater then the directory. The directory basically paved the way for Napoleon to
come into power. Thank god that happened!
Now that we have Napoleon, our best military general, who won the war against Austria for us, I
believe he will bring France back to her former strength. Napoleon is not only Frances best general,
he is very clever, likable, brave and extremely charismatic. No wonder after we won the war he
jumped to the top of political standings. It is quite astonishing that a 34 year old could be this
successful. He has all of the characteristics that King Louis XVI never had. As I look back into the
years, I always wonder what would have happened if the revolution failed. Or if King Louis XVI was
still king. France would be a very different country. It’s been a crazy 10 years. I can still remember
that day when Elliot was not even born yet and Louise and I almost had a near death experience
during the storming of the Bastille. When I saw the boy get beaten to death, when I witnessed the
very King I once supported get executed. Now I can stand here proud to watch Napoleon come to
power. I once mocked and disapproved of what the peasants were doing and what they were
starting. However now my view has changed, now I realize that change was needed. I am proud to
be French as we have had our hardships but in the end we are strong and we will stay strong.
France, a country that has suffered in the past years and endured a revolution, is now starting to
gain back her former power.
Antoine
